It is with a heavy heart that I write this blog post…

It is becoming increasingly more difficult to navigate owning a business in the SPMU industry. I wish that this was simply a case of the competition becoming stronger and forcing those of us whom already hold a place to up the ante and raise our game. Sadly this not the case.

The world of microblading, micropigmentation and SPMU is fast becoming similar to that of the injectables business, a race to the bottom, where those of us who still stay true to our morals, preach to customers that they ought to be discerning when deciding on whom to use for their microblading. But with so many academies churning out hundreds of new microbladers daily, most of whom do not have any experience at all in a medical capacity, the market is becoming saturated with people who are innocently trying to make a living and don’t fully comprehend what is at stake when they take on each new customer.

The plight of those attempting to make the best of the pandemic has meant that many women (I say women because we are the ones that it is has most impacted, I am not suggesting that it has not negatively impacted men of course) have become easy targets for academies with a keen eye for preying on the desperate. So many females lost their jobs or had their hours or contracts diminished as they took on the burden of the domestic role on top of their day jobs through the time of Corona virus and COVID 19. It is not in the least surprising that many sought to find a way of producing a second income. The issue here is that these academies make it sound as though starting a semi permanent makeup business requires little money or skill, which is not correct. One should strive to be making sure they are trained as best as possible, with as much skill and experience on non paying customers as possible before they start, not to mention that they should also be attempting to use the best possible products.

When a prospective client chooses to use a microblader who charges £150 for a set, have they considered if this person can truly afford to use the best single use blades? Whether they can afford to adequately sterilise the non single use equipment necessary? Whether they are even adequately insured?

I write this blog post for two reasons. I want to encourage clients to make sure that they make good decisions when choosing a microblader, knowing what is at stake when they don’t. But more than that, I want all these new microbladers to please read this and remember that their new career is just beginning, that they can make it with hard work and consistency, and that they do not need to start their businesses cutting corners. We all need to stand together to implement best practices to make sure that everyone remains safe. I salute every single one of these new business people, and hope that they understand that every client deserves the best of our time and experience, because their confidence is at stake.

Good luck to you all

Galata x

Frequently asked post-treatment questions answered!

Frequently asked post treatment questions answered quick fire style by Galata at LondonBrowClinic:

Will I be given healing cream for my freshly bladed brows?

At your microblading visit with LondonBrowClinic you will be given the ointment required to heal your brows. This ointment needs to be re applied every two hours proceeding the treatment.

Can my freshly microbladed brows come into contact with water?

Care needs to be taken to make sure that the brows do not come into excessive contact with water whilst going through the week of healing. When showering, keep the face out of strong jets of water if possible. Make sure to apply more ointment before and after the shower to make sure they are kept fully moist at all times.

How do I keep my eyebrows well creamed at night when sleeping?

Care must be taken to keep the brows saturated with the ointment at night; sleeping on your back is preferred so that the freshly microbladed eyebrows do not come into contact with the pillow. If this is not possible, cut a long thin piece of cling film to cover the brows (wrap the film around the head twice to avoid it moving). This will ensure the brows are kept moist through the night and will aide in a good healing process and encourage better retention of the microblading.

Can I wash my face after my microblading treatment?

In order to clean the face in the week proceeding the treatment please use a non abrasive cleanser on a wipe or cleansing pad and use this to clean AROUND the brows. The brows themselves do not need to be cleaned and should ideally be left with just the ointment all week. If you feel you must clean the brows, please only use warm water and a cotton pad to clean the area, being careful not to apply pressure on the area to dislodge any new skin that is regenerating.

Can I exercise in the week after my microblading treatment?

Exercising in the week after the treatment is possible only if you are careful to make sure sweat does not penetrate the ointment onto the fresh brows. Exercising that induced excessive sweating is not advised in the week proceeding the treatment.

Can I go on holiday with freshly microbladed brows? Are my brows allowed to be in the sun?

If one has to be in the sun proceeding the treatment, a large hat and glasses is advised so that the eyebrows are not in direct sunlight for long. This is adviseable but the brows being in the sun when fresh is fine as long as they are well protected with the ointment provided.

What happens if I don’t take good care of my microblading post treatment?

Taking care of the brows will ensure you retain as much microblading as possible. If this regimen is not followed the brows will not heal as well as they could have, and could result in the client needing a top up that may have otherwise been unnecessary. These are chargeable, as they are not always required and enable us to keep the base price more competitive and fair. It is therefore advised to take good care of the microblading proceeding the treatment.

LondonBrowClinic

How long does microblading last and is it worth it?

I feel compelled to write this blog post (despite the fact that some of these points are covered broadly in some of my other posts) as this is a question that I come across repeatedly by clients thinking about whether to book.

Microblading, like any treatment where a foreign agent is introduced to the body, is going to undergo a process whereby your body will get to work to get rid of it as expediently as it can. This is the primary function of the immune system and therefore will occur regardless of whomever did the microblading. I have heard stories from clients who have experienced microblading sessions with other practitioners where they were sold a length of time that their blading was meant to last, and I'm afraid that this type of information simply could not be accurate. No microblader (or even doctor for that matter) could have a complete enough picture of the systems at play affecting your own personal immune system and as a result could not accurately ascertain how long your microblading would last.

In truth, the most comprehensive and honest answer would be to ask you questions about your life; what do you do for a living? How does your skin respond to hormonal changes/stress? How much water and alcohol do you consume? The list goes on, and the answers to these questions will give your microblader a picture of how long your microblading could last and how it will look over time. Having said this, these will be educated guesses at best. Ultimately, the way that microblading is represented and sold must change. Regulation reform must take place in order to make the industry more honest, professional and medical in nature, as it should be. The client must be aware of the maintenance involved from the outset, as is the case when deciding to have injectables such as Botox and filler. These are also metabolised by the body and need maintenance, and microblading should be viewed in the same light. Practitioners who are using sub standard colours containing a high metal content in order to provide more longevity, do so at the detriment of the future result of the microblading as it results in the pigment changing colour (the primary reason why a lot of microblading turns green/blue/red).

As always, I hope this information helps you to make informed decisions.

Love always

Galata x

This is done purely to maximise on profit and should not be a compromise your microblader is willing to make.